Walden’s Celebration and Fundraiser in San Francisco: September 27, 2026
Our celebration and fundraiser in San Francisco was a delight! Held on Sunday, September 27, the event drew more than 50 Walden friends and supporters to the beautiful Green Room, where we enjoyed a ravishing performance of a cappella choral music by Nebula Consort.
Thanks to our host committee and all of our event donors, we raised $10,270 for Walden’s Annual Fund as part of this celebration. Thank you!
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The performance by Nebula Consort was a highlight of the afternoon. Directed by Eric Choate, Nebula includes Chris Martin, Walden’s Development Assistant, as a bass vocalist. The group performed captivating choral works by Heinrich Schütz, Giovanni Gabrieli, Claudio Monteverdi, Carlo Gesualdo, John Farmer, and Giuseppe Verdi. Thank you, Eric and Nebula, for sharing your tremendous artistry with the Walden community!
Malcolm Gaines, an alum of Walden’s Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR), spoke movingly about Walden’s impact on the lives of its participants. Inspired by Now I Walk in Beauty, a song that is frequently sung at Walden, Gaines explained how Walden teaches that the creativity within each person is worth cultivating and sharing with others, making the world a more beautiful place. Gaines is married to Seth Brenzel, Walden’s Executive Director, and they are the parents of a YMP alum. He thanked all those in attendance who have contributed to Walden, and encouraged continued support to expand access to Walden’s transformative programs.
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Our celebration featured delicious bites from On the Roll Catering and wine generously donated by Cultivar Wine, thanks to Walden board member Stephen Smith. Several lucky guests went home with fabulous door prizes, including a box of artisan chocolates; two pairs of premium-seating tickets for Cappella Romana’s performance of Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil (courtesy of Corty Fengler and Mark Powell); and two premium seats to an upcoming Nebula Consort performance, courtesy of Eric Choate and Nebula. We are grateful to our generous raffle prize donors.
Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate music, community, and Walden in San Francisco! And a big thank you to everyone who made gifts of support to Walden as part of this event.
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Host Committee:
Eric Choate and Ellen Leslie
Corty and Alf Fengler
Malcolm Gaines and Seth Brenzel
Juli Anna Johnson and Charles Cecil
Drew Kravin
Christopher Martin
Noah Mlotek
Stephen Smith
Mary Szczepanik and Matt Agard
Mindy Williams and Phil Polishuk
